[House  Bill.] 

HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES,  January  5.  IS  fit  —Read 
first  an  I  becond  times,  placed  upon  the  calendar,  and  ordered  to  be 
printed. 

{By  Mr.  Miles,  from  the  Military  Committee] 


To  be  entitled  An  Act  to   increase  the  effijien^y  oF  the  army  by  the 
employment  of  free  negroes  and  slaves  in  certain  capacities. 

1  Whereap.,  the  efficiency  of  the  army  is  greatly  diminished 

t  by  the  withdrawal  from  the  ranks  of  able-bo  lied  soMiers  to  act 

3  as  teamsters,   and  in   various  other  capacities  in    whim  free  ne- 

4  groes  and  slaves  might  be  advantageously  employed  ;  therefore, 
1  Sec.  1.    Th-:  Congress  of  the  Confederate  Sta'rs  of  America  do 

.2  enact,  That  all  male  free   negroes   resilient   in   the  Confederate 

3  States,   between  the  ages  of  eighteen   and  fifty  years,   shall  be 

4  held  liable  to  perform  su^h  d  itie*  with  the  army,  or  in  connection 

5  with  the  military  defences  of  the  country,   in  the  way  of  work 
C  upon  fortifications,  or  i rt  Government   work •<  for  the  proluction 

7  or  preparation  of  material  of  war,  or  in  military  hospitals,  as  the 

8  Secretary  of  War  may  from  time  to  time  prescribe  ;  and  while 

9  engaged  in  the  performance  of  such  duties  shall  receive  rations 


s 

10  an  1  clothing,  an  I  compensation  at  tli3  rate  of  eleven  dollars  a 

11  month,  under  such  rules  and  regulations  as  the   said  Secretary 

12  iniy  establish:  Providtd,  That  the  Secretary  of  War,  with  the 

13  appioal  of  the  President,  may  exempt  frcm  the  operations  of 

14  this  act  such  free  negroes  as  the  interests  of  the  country  may 
13  require  should  be  exempted,  or  such  as  he  may  think  proper  to 
16  exempt  on  grounds  of  justice,  equity,  or  necessity. 

1  Sec.  2.  Bs  it  further  enacted,    That  the   Secretary  of  War  is 

2  hereby  authorized  to  employ  for  duties  similar  to  those  indicated 

3  in  the  preceding  section  of  this  act,  as  many  male  negro  slaves, 

4  not  to  exceed  ,  as,  in  his  judgment,  the 

5  wants  of  the    service   may    require,  furnishing   them   while   so 

6  employed   with   proper   rations  and   clothing,  under   rules   and 

7  regulations  to  be  established  by  him,  and  paying  to  the  owners 

8  of  said  slaves  wages  at  the  rate  of  eleven  dollars  per  month  for 

9  their  use  and  service,  an  1  in  the  event  of  the  I033  of  any  slaves, 

10  while  so  employed,  by  the  act  of  the  enemy,  or  by  escape  to  the 

1 1  enemy,    or    by   death   inflicted   by   the    enemy,    or   by  disease 

12  incurred,  in  consequence  of  the  discharge  of  any  service  required 

13  of  said  slaves,  then  the  owners  of  the  same  shall  be  entitled  to 
1  t  receive  thi  fall  vi'.ui  of  s  ich  sl.ive*,  to  hi  piil  un  ler  such  rules 
13     and  regulation  <  as  the  Secretary  of  War  miy  establish. 

1  Sec.  3.   B:   t  fmther  enact. d,  That  when  the  Secretary  of  War 

2  si  aU  be  unable  to  pn  cure  the  services  of  slaves  in  any  military 


3 

3  department   in    sufficient    numbers   for   the   necessities  of    the 

4  department   upon   the  terms   and   conditions   set   forth  in    tho 

t 

5  preceding  section,  then  he  is  hereby  authorized  to  impress  the 

6  services  of  as  many  male  slaves  as  may  be  required  from  time 

7  to  time  to  discharge  the  duties   indicated  in  the  first  section  of 

8  this  act,  under  such  rules  and  regulations  as  the  said  Secretary 

9  may  establish :  Provided,    That  slaves  so  impressed  shall,  while 

10  employed,  receive  the  same  rations  and  clothing  in  kind  and 

1 1  quantity  as  slaves  regularly  hired  from  their  owners,  and  in  the 

12  event  of  their  loss,  shall  be   paid  for  in  the  same  manner,  and 

13  under  the  same  rules  and  regulations  as  those  who  may  have 

14  been  hired. 


